Salt Baths, Petroleum Jelly and Probiotics

My daughter was diagnosed with eczema when she was six months old and the battle began. My daughter has what is considered a “mild” case, which has always been disturbingly humorous to me because although her skin usually looks pretty good, her demon is the excessive, no mercy, never-ending “itch.” She would itch so badly at night that we averaged two to three hours of sleep five or six days out of the week. She was not resting, therefore she was not growing. We tried dermatologists and several different types of doctors—you name it, we have been there and done that. Some recommendations would work for a while, then stop.

Last year, I found a doctor who specialized in pediatric dermatology and infectious diseases. His recommendations have been a miracle for our family. This is our new daily ritual: every day my daughter takes 25 milligrams of antihistamine every four to six hours. She soaks in a cool saltwater bath (1 to 1½ cups) twice per day for 20 minutes, then petroleum jelly is immediately applied to dry areas. She also takes Culturelle twice daily. Anxiety can cause flares. We choose relaxing methods to help control anxiety. Painting and crafts slow her down and relax her for hours.

She is in first grade and she is sleeping through the night and has been for about a year. Occasionally, we do have a bad night here and there, but overall her quality of life has improved drastically. We know that the same prescription does not work for all, but this worked for us when nothing else would. I pray that my daughter eventually grows out of this condition, but until then we will continue our salt baths, petroleum jelly and probiotics.

Marnie Dekle
Metter, Georgia

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The recommendations contained in the Scratch Pad are those of the contributor. NEA provides health information from a variety of sources; this information is not intended as medical advice. Persons with questions regarding specific symptoms or treatments should consult a professional health-care provider.